ts the hearts of people.

The four types ot soil

hearts of men and their responses to God's message. Some

rePened. some are shallow, SOme are contaminated by worries and some are

receptive.

represent different

The Parable Wheat and Tares (Weeds) (Matthew 13:24-30;36-43)

of the

A man sowed wheat on his farm, but when men slept, an enemy carme and sowed

res among the wheat. When the grain appeared, the tares were recognised. grain.
The servants did not recognise the weeds on time until the wheat began to bear in
because wheat and tares look exactly alike and cannot be distinguished until the
grains begin to appear. The servants wanted to go and uproot the tares but the
householder refused because they might mistakenly root out the wheat as both look
alike. He ordered that they should let both grow until the harvest when the reapers
would be asked to first gather the tares (weeds), bind them in bundles and burn
them, while the wheat would be gathered unto his barn In verses 36-43, Jesus'
interpretation of the parable is as follows:

1. The Sower represents the Son of God.

2. The field represents the world.

Hers of God (verSe 37).

Study

3. The good seeds (the wheat) represent the sons of the kingdom, ie. the true
believers.

4. The tares (weeds) represent the sons of the evil one, pretentious believers.

5. The enemy represents the devil.

6. The harvest represents the end of the age.

7. The reapers represent the angels.

At the end of the age, the evil one and all his accomplices will be destroyed while
the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON (Luke 15:11-32)

Three parables illustrating God's love, namely, the parable of the lost sheep; the
lost

ere

(1) The shepherd/a woman represents God.

(1) The lost sheep/Most coin represents a lost soul/sinner who

to God.

(ii) The neighbours represent the host of heaven and all the anget

The Lesson of the Parables

A shepherd looki

(Luke

19:10).

The two parables show how God feels about wandering sinners and

every effort to bring them back to Himself. He goes after them, se

and how He makes

diligently until He has found them, and then returns with them, rejoicing

searches for them

not rest until He has saved a lost sinner and brought him back home. T hat lost
God does

He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the world to seck and to save those

him.

turns

The repentance and conversion of one sinner on earth brings grea

heaven. God will not let a lost Sinner remain lost. He will do all in His power to
save

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lost Son) (Luke 15:11-32)

those who were lost

34

The parable of the lost son, like the lost sheep and the lost coin, was told by Jesus

to help people come to understand the relationship that God has with His children.

The parable tells the story of a certain man who had two sons. The youngr

son decided to go away with his own share of the inheritance. After squandering

everything in a far away country, he came back to ask for his father's forgiveness
and

a job as a servant. Instead, his father, very happy to have his lost son back, killed

fattened calf, clothed him with a beautiful robe, and celebrated his son's return.

(d)

him.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son ( Lost Son) (Luke 15:11-32)

The parable of the lost son, like the lost sheep and the lost coin, was told by Jesus
to help people come to understand the relationship that God has with His children.
The parable tells the story of a certain man who had two sons. The younger son
decided to go away with his own share of the inheritance. After squandering
everything in a far away country, he came back to ask for his father's forgiveness
and a job as a servant. Instead, his father, very happy to have his lost son back,
killed a fattened calf, clothed him with a beautiful robe, and celebrated his son's
return.

The older son, returning from the farm and finding out what was happening, was
angry with his father. He was not happy about the outcome of events as he felt
angry he deserved more than he got from his father. He refused his father's
explanation and pleading

Meaning and Lessons of the Parable

a) The father (the man) represents God.

b) The younger (prodigal) son represents a repentant sinner

(c) The elder son represents the scribes and the pharisees, who felt they were
righteous and had been serving God faithfully and therefore deserved to be
rewarded. They do not see themselves as sinners who needed to repent.

d) God is happy when a sinner repents and returns to Him.

Impartiality

pride dlI

Should have Christ's attitude which makes us

ren der our rights In order to serve others in humility.

Impartiality (James 2:1 -13)

God is an impartial God (Acts 10:34). Does God refuse or reject the worship of
any faithful worshipper (Acts 10:35)? He accepts all who worship Him; He works
through anybody, rich or poor, whatever his race, sex or nation. The book of Ruth
is a good example of God's impartiality.

James condemns partiality and says it is wrong because:

1. It is as a result of evil thoughts

2. It dishonours the poor man.

3. It does not encourage love.

4. It goes against Christ's teaching.

5. It is sin.

God regards all people as equal. We must not look down on anyone because of his
or her wealth, appearance or position. Verse 5 does not mean that a rich man will
Surely go to hell and the poor to heaven. All it is saying is that generally, poor
people quickly accept their need for salvation, while pride may hold the rich
back.The royal law is explained in verse 8. It means treating others as you want
them to treat you. That is the way people should relate to one another.

Forgiveness (Galatians 6:1-2)

What did Samson do to his father-in-law who offended him (Judges l5:1-5, 11).
Revenge means punishing someone as a retaliation to any harm that person might
have done. Revenge never ends. Revenge brings another revenge (Judges 5: 1-5).

Only forgiveness can end the cycle of revenge. And when you forgive you must

forgive totally and forget the offence (Psalm 103:12). East and West can never
meet.

That is a picture of God's forgiveness when God forgives our sins He remembers

them no more. He forgives and forgets. So must we.

Galatians 6:1-2 tells how a believer who sins should be treated by other

Christians. We should not be quick to condemn or judge him, but rather we should
remember that we, too, could fall into a similar sin. Therefore, we should show

him compassion and forgiveness, and restore him with tenderness because we also

could be tempted in the same way. We should stand by such a brother in his time

of trouble or distress and help him.

Galatians 6: 2 commands us to share each others burden and so fulfill the

law of Christ. What is the law of Christ? John 13:34 and 15:12 tell us what this

law is. We fulfil this law when we bear one another's burdens. That is, we must

be compassionate to one another, not shouting the offender down but by being

patient with him/her.

Giving (Philippians 4:14-19)

Giving generously is a mark of the Holy Spirit working in a person's heart. It is a

mark that we love as God first loved us (John 3:16), and a way of fostering unıty.

During his third missionary journey, Paul had collected monev for the poor

and needy Christiarns in Jerusalem. The churches in Macedonia (i.e. Philipp!,

Thessalonica and Beroca) had given money, even though they were poor
themselves.

They had, in fact, given more than Paul had expected because they wanted to help.

The amount we give is not as important to God as why and how we give. God does

not want us to give grudgingly. He wants us to give as the Macedonian churches

did - out of dedication to Christ, love for fellow Christians, the joy of helping the

needy, and simply because it is good and right to do so.

In verses 6-1l of 2 Corinthians 9, Paul says that the person who has little may

be unwilling or reluctant to give from his little for fear of how to supply his own
needs. But he reassures that all blessings come from God and He has the power to

42

oppression. It is not good for a servant to retaliate when punished fora wrong

he had done. But when he does evil and suffers for it, and bears it patiently, he

wins God's approval.

Peter said Jesus isa good example of the suffering servant whom we should

follow. This is because Jesus was sinless and innocent, and, when he was

abused, he did not abuse in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten his

persecutors. Jesus trusted in God who would give right judgement in the end.

He died for our sins and by his wounds, we have been healed. We were

formerly straying like sheep, but Jesus has been our good shepherd and has

shown us the way to salvation.

Matthew and Christians living in the community (Matthew 5:13-16): In

Matthew's Gospel, Jesus told Christians what to do when living in the

community. They should live in the community as the salt' of the earth and

the light' of the world.

'Salt' is good because it preserves things, like fish, from decay. It also

improves the taste of the food that we eat. As salt of the earth, your duty as a

Christian in the community is to behave in such a way that you become the

agent of preserving and improving the quality of life in the society; that is to

make sure that there is good relationship between mnen and God and between
each other. We are able to do this by our good example as committed Christians

who live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Our good ways of life will

influence others to lead good lives and as a result preserve and improve the

quality of life in the community.

'Light' is the source oflife. Without adequate light, a plant cannot grow and

may therefore die. Without light there will be darkness all around us and we

will not have the energy to work and make progress. There fore as light of the

world,' Christians are to behave in such a way as to become the source of

good life to others. When we follow the teaching of Jesus in our life, we

become the light of the world; and by our good example, we lead others to the

greater light in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should let our light so shine before

men (everybody) that they may see our good works and glorify God in heaven.

The Significance of Peter 's and Matthew s teaching on Christians living in

the community: The teachings of Peter and Matthew on the conduct of

Christians living in the community, as the chosen race, means that we, as

Christians, should lead righteous lives worthy of our calling, and be good

examples to others. As the salt of the earth and the light of the world, we

should endeavour to avoid the social vices common in society. Some of the

social vices that we are to shun are: Cheating, Examination Malpractices, Fraud,
Bribery, Corruption, Cultism, Smoking, Drunkenness, Drug Addiction,

Adultery, Fornication, Abortion, Partiality and Tribalism.

End of 7h week: EVALUATION

Continuous Assessment Test I School Based Assessment

JSS 2

8- Parable about the kingdom

Parable of the sower

9. The parable of the wheat and the tares

10 The parable of the prodigal son

Jss3

8. Impartiality James 2 1-13

9 forgiveness Galatians 6:1-2

10. +==+.. =? +. =). ++Christian living in the community